Udhayanidhi says Sanatana Dharma divides people, must be 'abolished'
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Chennai: DMK leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin, on Tuesday reiterated his controversial stand against Sanatana Dharma, stating that it “divides the people” and “must certainly be abolished.” The remarks echoed the comments he made in September 2023, which had triggered widespread criticism, protests and court cases from pro-Hindu organisations.
Making his maiden speech as Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Udhayanidhi also strongly objected to what he described as the sidelining of “Tamil Thai Vazhthu”, the Tamil invocation song, during the recent swearing-in ceremony of the new government.
“Sanatana Dharma, which divides the people, must certainly be abolished,” he said in the House while raising concerns over cultural and linguistic traditions in the state.
Referring to the swearing-in ceremony, the DMK leader said the state anthem had been moved to the third position in the order of events instead of being accorded its customary priority. He termed the deviation a mistake and urged the government to ensure such incidents are not repeated.
“Such an incident, which happened during your government’s swearing-in ceremony, was a mistake and you should not permit it to happen again in this Assembly. We will not permit it,” he said.
Udhayanidhi stressed that “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” must always receive the primary position not only in the Assembly but also at all government functions and public events held in Tamil Nadu.
“I request this government to ensure that this is never compromised. We must be very vigilant in protecting our rights and traditions,” he added.
According to him, the change in protocol had caused anger and shock among people across the state. He also recalled a 2023 incident in which the then ruling government had opposed attempts by the Governor to alter established protocol related to the Tamil invocation song.
Defining the role of the opposition in the Assembly, Udhayanidhi invoked DMK founder and Dravidian stalwart C N Annadurai, saying the opposition functions like the brakes of a vehicle or the reins of a bull, guiding the government towards public welfare.
He said the opposition intended to play a constructive role rather than functioning as a purely adversarial force. Highlighting the current political landscape, he noted that the opposition benches now hold strength nearly equal to that of the ruling party.
The DMK leader also welcomed the entry of several first-time MLAs and praised the increased representation of women legislators in the Assembly.
In a lighter moment during his speech, Udhayanidhi remarked that he, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Speaker JCD Prabhakar were all alumni of Loyola College, though he joked that the DMK remained the “senior batch” in terms of political experience.
Reaffirming his party’s commitment to the Dravidian model, he said the opposition would continue to monitor the government’s performance to ensure the principle of “everything for everyone” is upheld.
Udhayanidhi also urged Speaker JCD Prabhakar to remain neutral and allow the opposition’s voice to function as the true voice of the people inside the Assembly chamber.
With PTI inputs